Sisters Week highlights humble women

By STEPHANIE HALL-CABELOFContributing writer

March 9, 2014 12:01 AM

By STEPHANIE HALL-CABELOFContributing writer

March 9, 2014 12:01 AM

TWEET #THANKANUNNational Catholic Sisters Week began Saturday and runs through Friday.Social media users can share a note of thanks, gratitude or a shout out to a sister who made a difference in your life by using #thankanun.

One of the greatest challenges I have as a communications director for a congregation of Catholic sisters is shining the spotlight on the sisters and their work. Their deep-rooted sense of humility makes it quite uncomfortable for them. Even when there's great news to share, I am sometimes directed to downplay it so as not to appear that they are "tooting their own horns."

For the Sisters of St. Joseph, those inherent, humble characteristics parallel the Maxims of Perfection that were written by their founder, the Rev. Jean-Pierre Médaille. The maxims are fundamental principles that a person seeking a life with God could follow. One maxim depicts this humility: "Advance good works until they are almost finished; and then, whenever possible, let them be completed by someone else who will receive the honor." The maxims were written in the 17th century, so you understand what I mean by a "deep-rooted sense of humility."

That's where I come in. Along with other communications personnel who work for Catholic sisters, we are the cheerleaders. Always trying to counter that deep humility, we seek ways to let the world know about the good works that sisters have done and continue doing. Whether we are using traditional pen and paper, posting messages on sisters' Facebook pages or Twitter feeds, or just shouting from the rooftops, we continually look for opportunities to tell the sisters' stories. I like to think of it as spreading the Gospel good news.

So imagine my excitement when I learned that a grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is being used to establish National Catholic Sisters Week. The first such observation started Saturday and goes through Friday, during National Women's History Month.

It seems that Hilton (the same Hilton whose name adorns hotels throughout the world) was profoundly influenced by the Catholic Church and Catholic sisters. Though he died in 1979, his philanthropic legacy and deep regard for Catholic sisters led to various efforts to strengthen and ensure that the work of these women continues.

Sisters part of history

My enthusiasm is twofold: first, it's about time for a week dedicated to recognizing the contributions of Catholic sisters to American society. There are national awareness efforts for everything from National Child Abuse Awareness Month (an important cause) to National Stop Snoring Week (yes, that's real). We are long overdue for shining a national spotlight on these women. I think Molly Murphy MacGregor, co-founder of the National Women's History Project, said it best. "People don't get to see real honest-to-God nuns," MacGregor said. "They're the ones on the cutting edge of social change."

Second, as a communications director, I view this is a tremendous gift. Communicators for Women Religious is a professional organization that has a mission to provide a network of professional support and education for its members to promote understanding of women religious, enhance their image and advance their mission. Communicators for women religious can now look forward to one week each March when the entire country will help in that effort. Thank you, Conrad Hilton.

National Catholic Sisters Week is not just about Sisters of St. Joseph. It is about all Catholic sisters in the United States, past and present. And, while the emphasis may be on "Catholic sisters" this week, this story is not just about Catholics. The contributions of these women have transcended any religious, racial, gender or socioeconomic boundaries.

Catholic sisters helped build the infrastructure of our communities. Dating back to the 1800s, Catholic sisters in the U.S. built hospitals, educated immigrants, cared for orphans and prostitutes, and nursed the ill and war-injured during the Civil War.

They built schools, fought for civil rights and worked as lawyers, executives, doctors and social service administrators. They tended to the needs of the most vulnerable in our community, often providing what society didn't. They led the charge, standing for and with the oppressed while advocating for change. They responded to the physically hungry and the spiritually starved. They taught, nursed, fed, inspired, loved, prayed for and cried with everyone, not just Catholics.

Gospel guides them

In the Feb. 7 issue of National Catholic Reporter, Colleen Dunne wrote: "Women religious have made and continue to make vital contributions in education, health care, criminal justice, social justice, theology, the arts and politics. Where good things are happening, there are often sisters involved making a tremendous difference."

And while we will be singing praises and expressing gratitude for Catholic sisters throughout the United States this week, we can't forget an important point. Though sisters have and continue to effect major social change and lovingly care for, nurture and tend to the needs of the downtrodden, they never do it for recognition or accolades. These women responded to a call, some at a very young age and some leaving behind families and fortunes to do so. They do it because that's what God and the Gospel called them to do.

Micah 6:8 explains this call: "We are called to act with justice, to love tenderly, to serve one another and to walk humbly with God."

Find an opportunity during this inaugural National Catholic Sisters Week to make a call, send a note, pay a visit to a sister who made a difference in your life. Take a minute to #thankanun, if you will.

Thank you, sisters. I know that many others join me in that sentiment, and please accept my apology if the well-deserved recognition makes you uncomfortable in any way. Keep up the good work.

STEPHANIE HALL-CABELOF, an Erie native who was educated by Catholic sisters throughout elementary and high school, is director of communications and public relations for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania. She is on the board of directors of Communicators for Women Religious, a national organization whose members work to promote the image and works of Catholic Sisters.